


I Promise with my Hands, my Smile, my Lips against His

by ForensicSpider98



Series: Love After the Fact [52]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, All this stress is bad for the baby, Altean Adam (Voltron), Altean Prince Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Balmeran Hunk (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Galra Shiro (Voltron), Galran Prince Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Multi, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Olkari Pidge | Katie Holt, Post-War, it's keith. keith is the baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:08:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24825832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForensicSpider98/pseuds/ForensicSpider98
Summary: Lance takes a moment to put things in perspective for Krolia.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Alfor/Coran (Voltron), Allura/Lotor/Romelle (Voltron), Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Love After the Fact [52]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635043
Comments: 44
Kudos: 201





	I Promise with my Hands, my Smile, my Lips against His

The serum burns like acid as it enters his veins. The feeling doesn’t dilute as it mixes with his blood, the awful burn causing his hearts to beat faster and harder, spreading fire through his system until his entire body feels like it’s aflame.

It’s been almost half a varga. And this won’t be the only time he endures this. Still, it means he’ll be able to enjoy more of his stay, teach Lance about his home. 

Worth it.

Head in Lance’s lap, Keith’s curled around his spouse’s form, unable to bite back an occasional chirp. Lance murmurs softly, stroking his hair, rubbing his ear. “It’s alright, beloved. It’ll be over soon. Does it always hurt this much?”

“Difficult to say, but it’s not uncommon for them to scream.”

“Wonderful. Thank you.” the Altean glares, bottom stuck out. 

Thace merely shrugs. “Pain is not so alien for my people as it is for yours.”

“Pain is _not_ alien to my people.” Those blue and pink eyes narrow. “Much of my generation is made of orphans.”

The prince turns away from the young medic’s panicked apology, focusing on the kit curled around him, face pressed against his belly. To his surprise, Krolia sits next to him, cautiously takes over rubbing Keith’s exposed ear. The kit takes his hand, holds it against his chest.

“Breathe, beloved. Breathe.” Which Keith does, though with effort, forcing his previously shallow breaths to expand and deepen. “Good. That’s so good, beloved.”

“Don’t you baby-talk me. Save it for our kits.”

“Even now, you’re so sassy. Don’t ever stop.” Lance brushes his thumb over Keith’s knuckles. “Hey, what do you think Adam’s doing right now?”

“Making out with Shiro in some shady corner like a couple of pubescents,” Keith gasps, grateful for the distraction. “They’re so gross.”

“It’s really good for Adam, though, even if it doesn’t work out. It’s a brand new experience for him.”

“It’s new for -Fuck, that hurts!- It’s new for Shiro, too. He’s been alone for so long.”

“Did he lose somebody?”

“Not a mate. He’s been in the army in some capacity since he was a kit. He- He never really had time for someone. No one ever caught his eye.” Keith heaves a sigh as the pain fades away, leaving him comparatively cool, his muscles lax, his eyes drooping.

“You alright, beloved?” Lance strokes his hair, tugs gently on the end of his braid. Keith nods, nosing against his stomach. “Tired?” Another nod. Lance lifts their joined hands briefly to his lips. “Rest here for a bit. It’ll make it easier for Adam to find us, anyway… Go ahead and sleep, beloved.”

Keith, it seems, doesn’t need any more encouragement, slipping back into the same sound sleep he’s been in and out of for a while now as his apparently hypermetabolized body struggles to find enough energy to carry out its tasks. Thace is in the other room with his kit, so Lance takes this as an opportunity.

“You must think very little of me. I would have preferred Lanval _not_ told you of my misbehaviour.”

“You are not what I wanted for my son. He is intersex, a blessing to our people. It should have been his gods-given right to choose his mate. His right, before anyone else’s… I thought you would force yourself upon him, engender him to you.”

“Where I come from, such an act is a crime. Unless your father is a king, it would seem.” Lance sighs. “I gave up my trick for him. I had always played up my antics, spending too much money, traipsing about with various other people on my arm. When I became king, I was going to make a grand show of putting my wild days behind me, stepping up to be the leader my people needed.”

“Power is a matter of perception.” Krolia nods. “I know this philosophy well. My mate was fond of throwing it around when he grew particularly bitter with the world... I imagine you understand.”

“ Now more than ever, yes. I am no longer certain how to make my ascension significant in the eyes of my people now that I’ve given myself up, but I couldn’t do that to him. Someone so brave, and good- I didn’t want to destroy that.”

“If you’re trying to get me to like you-”

“I don’t care whether you like me or not. Your opinion on the matter carries no weight here or on Altea. _However_ …” Lance’s eyes stare into Krolia’s, uncharacteristically hard. “I want you to consider what turning us against each other will mean for your son. I _must_ bed him for the sake of this marriage and alliance. I _must_ impregnate him at least twice to assure the continuation of my culture and my family’s legacy. We _must_ raise our children and rule our kingdom _together_. This alliance depends on that.

“Our lives are irretrievably intertwined. If nothing else, consider how much easier and happier his life might be if he and I are an actual couple. Keep your silence, let us be as we choose, and I promise you your son will want for nothing.”

Krolia stares at her son’s head in Lance’s lap, listens to the chiming of the ornaments in the Altean’s ears as he leans over his sleeping spouse, brushing his thumb over his cheek. Those words still hold little against the care this prince lavishes so freely over her son. In the words of Akira, actions speak louder than words, and Lance’s actions _sing_.

The mother sighs. “I concede your point. Make him happy.”

“All the days of my life. I swear it.”

“The word of an Altean prince isn’t worth the breath in his lungs, but I suppose it’ll have to do.”

Keith stirs. “What’s this about Lance’s words?”

“Nothing, kitten. He just doesn’t shut up.”

“Hm.” The kit adjusts his grip on Lance’s hand, smiling. “He really doesn’t- Oh.” Keith’s violet eyes go wide.

“What is it, beloved?”

“Lance. A whole phoeb. At _least_ a phoeb without Seran and Renli!”

Lance’s laugh is like windchimes, high and clear and bright. “Ah, that does sound lovely. Say, Adam should be here soon and Allura will find us as befits her. What would you like to do today?”

“The truth?” Keith asks. Lance just smiles, strokes his hair with his free hand. “I want to go home and see BleepBloop.”

“BleepBloop?” The prince cocks his head. “What’s a BleepBloop?”

“My childhood pet. When- When I left, Shiro told me not to bring anything because it would all get taken away. I only brought my blade because I thought I could hide it.”

“I would have put the fear of the Ancients into them if they took your pet. After you terrorized them, of course.”

“I know that now, but…” Keith studies their joined hands. “I didn’t then.”

Lance opens his mouth, ready to say some sweet nothing, when Adam slips into the room. “Your Majesties. The Imperial family welcomes us with open arms and good grace. We may go where we choose and do as we like, so long as we respect the people and their customs… What did I miss?”

“Some liquid fire being injected into my body. Think I’d rather be eaten by a kronil.” Keith sits up, stretching his arms up over his head. “I for one would like to go back to my den and change into some more comfortable clothes. Then-”

“See your pet and eat something? Yes that sounds very good.” Lance coaxes his spouse to his feet. 

Another, older Galra enters, smiles when he sees Keith. “Hey, little one. Have you gone and got smaller?”

“Fuck off, Ulaz.” The young Galra laughs all the same, ears perked and happy. A friend.

“Seen Thace?”

“In the other room, nursing Raj. They’re super cute by the way. Good job.”

“Pfft. Thace did all the work. I’m just lucky my mate’s a pretty one. Otherwise they’d probably all end up looking like me.”

“Yeah, they’d be born looking all old and wrinkly and gross.” Keith sticks his tongue out at the older Galra.

“All kits are born two of those things, little one. You’ll see.”

Keith scoffs, but Lance laughs. “Actually, he’s right. Brand new babies all look like little grubs with faces. Ours will be no different.”

The unimpressed look on Keith’s face has Lance, Ulaz, and even the ever-quiet Krolia laughing.

“Alright. I’d better go see if Thace needs anything. You all take care. Keith, bring that Altean of yours and join us for dinner one night. I’m telling the kits you’re coming, so don’t go making a liar out of me. They outnumber us more than two to one now, and I am super doomed if Thace sides with them.”

“We’ll come; I promise. Tell Thace thanks from me.” Keith smiles, slips his hand into Lance’s, only to skip ahead, lighter than Lance has ever seen.

Lance nods his thanks as Krolia lifts a box from the nearby table. It’s full of serum doses. He watches his spouse’s antics, bouncing with every step, smiling through the halls and out into that sunlight he’s clearly missed so very much. He already knows that leaving will be hard for both of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time on Love After the Fact: Keith's reunited with an old friend!


End file.
